Caldwell said Manning a big draw to Denver

Andre Caldwell knew Tim Tebow long before most of us knew Tim Tebow, and would have loved the chance to play with him again.

Ironic, then, that the day Caldwell — Tebow’s teammate at Florida in 2006-2007 — signed with the Broncos was the same day the Broncos traded away Tim Tebow to the New York Jets.

“I would have loved to be here with him but you can’t be sad playing with Peyton Manning,” Caldwell said Thursday morning on a conference call with Denver reporters.

In fact, it was Manning’s signing with the Broncos on Tuesday that helped Caldwell decide to join the Broncos. Caldwell said he and his agent had been in contact with the Broncos since not long after free agency began last week, but it wasn’t until after the Manning deal was done that their talks got serious on both sides.

“It heated up and I was all on board after they signed Peyton,” Caldwell said. “Everybody knows with Tebow there was more of a running-style team. They didn’t spread the ball around as much. It was a major impact and it was a big influence in me coming here.”